The present invention relates to three-dimensional map display devices, and more particularly to a device for simply displaying a three-dimensional configuration of a target area on a map.
A conventional car navigation system generally navigates along the route by displaying a two-dimensional map. In a case where a road is overlaying on another in parallel as shown on a display navigating a vicinity of freeway entrances and exits, however, a two-dimensional map without a longitudinal representation often puzzles a driver as to which way to go. Also, as to a multi-level intersection of a ordinary-type road to be navigated, when the display navigates to turn right after passing the multi-level intersection, it is difficult for the driver to instantaneously understand the navigated route as a conventional car navigation system does not represent the route stereoscopically.
Recently, various car navigation systems are being developed to display a map in a three-dimensional manner. Conventionally, when a map is three-dimensionally displayed, width and height information is manually provided to data about roads on a two-dimensional map in advance so as to generate three-dimensional polygon data from the map data having the information provided, and then the three-dimensional polygon data is stored in a map storage medium (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.). When a vehicle reaches a point to be navigated, a car navigation system in which this map storage medium is provided reads out corresponding three-dimensional polygon data from the map storage medium and displays a three-dimensional image.
The conventional system, however, requires width and height information to be added to every piece of road data on a two-dimensional map, which considerably complicates the processing. Further, it requires preparation such as measurements, and the like. Moreover, since two-dimensional map data contains a large amount of information which do not conform to the real-world road locations, an accuracy of a three-dimensional map obtained through such data on the two-dimensional map data is poor, which confuses the driver more. Information on road locations on a two-dimensional map may be corrected, or configuration data on a completed three-dimensional map may be corrected with a CAD tool, and the like in order to obtain a desired three-dimensional map. It will require a large number of additional processing steps. Further, since an accuracy of the conventional polygon automatic generating algorithm is poor, parts separated into small links and coupling/branching parts between two road links differing in width cannot be smoothly connected. That is to say, the polygon data does not coincide with the real-world road configuration, resulting in a reduction of the safety.
Moreover, in the conventional system, the three-dimensional polygon data itself is stored in a map storage medium (CD-ROM, DVD, etc.), and therefore the amount of map data to be stored is too large to three-dimensionally display many areas. To solve such an inconvenience, two-dimensional map data containing added width and height information may be stored in the map storage medium, in which case a car navigation system carried on a vehicle creates the three-dimensional polygon data. However, this method largely increases the load on a CPU of the car navigation system, resulting in another problem that the map cannot be scrolled at high speed.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a three-dimensional map display method and a device which can easily and simply display the three-dimensional configuration of target areas on a map, with a largely reduced amount of data stored in a storage medium, and a device for creating data used in the method and device.
The present invention has the following features to achieve the object mentioned above.
A first aspect of the invention is directed to a device for creating model transforming data used to transform a three-dimensional map display model, wherein a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on a map is classified in advance into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model is prepared for each pattern, and the model transforming data creating device comprises:
a two-dimensional map data storage portion for storing two-dimensional map data;
a parameter data extracting portion for extracting parameter data corresponding to the given part from the two-dimensional map data stored in the two-dimensional map data storage portion;
a parameter data analyzing portion for analyzing the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion to generate the model transforming data; and
a storage portion for storing the model transforming data generated by the parameter data analyzing portion.
As stated above, according to the first aspect, instead of the three-dimensional image data itself, the model transforming data for transforming a previously prepared three-dimensional map display model into a desired form is generated as data for obtaining a three-dimensional image of a given part on a map, and then the data for three-dimensional map display can be provided in an extremely compressed form as compared with conventional ones.
According to a second aspect which depends on the first aspect,
the model transforming data creating device further comprises a pattern model storage portion for storing pattern data defining sorts of parameters required when transforming the three-dimensional map display model for each pattern,
wherein the parameter data analyzing portion comprises:
a pattern data reading portion for reading the pattern data corresponding to the given part from the pattern model storage portion; and
a data converting portion for converting the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion into the model transforming data on the basis of the pattern data read out by the pattern data reading portion.
As stated above, according to the second aspect, the parameter data is converted into the model transforming data on the basis of the pattern data, and more detailed model transforming data can be created as compared with the case in which the model transforming data is created from only the parameter data.
According to a third aspect which depends on the second aspect,
the pattern data reading portion comprises a pattern determining portion for determining the pattern on the basis of the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion and reading out the pattern data corresponding to the determined pattern from the pattern model storage portion.
As stated above, according to the third aspect, the parameter data can be automatically read from the parameter data storage portion without requiring manual operation.
According to a fourth aspect which depends on the third aspect,
the pattern determining portion comprises:
a branching part road attribute deciding portion for deciding attributes of roads around a branching point on the basis of the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion; and
a branch type deciding portion for deciding the type of the branching on the basis of the road attributes decided by the branching part road attribute deciding portion to determine the pattern.
As stated above, according to the fourth aspect, the pattern is determined according to the road attributes at a branching point especially requiring three-dimensional display, which enables pattern discrimination more conforming with the real-world road configuration.
According to a fifth aspect which depends on the fourth aspect,
the parameter data analyzing portion further comprises:
a parameter data classifying portion for classifying the parameter data according to road function on the basis of the pattern determined by the pattern determining portion; and
a data integrating portion for integrating the parameter data classified by the parameter data classifying portion within each classified group, and
the data converting portion converts the parameter data integrated by the data integrating portion into the model transforming data.
As stated above, according to the fifth aspect, not the mere parameter data extracted from the two-dimensional map data but the integrated parameter data is converted into the model transforming data, so that a three-dimensional map display model with a less number of connected portions can be adopted to provide a beautiful three-dimensional image, and the finally obtained three-dimensional image can be simplified on the basis of the road function to provide navigation display easy to understand for the user.
According to a sixth aspect which depends on the fifth aspect,
the parameter data classifying portion comprises:
a link tracing portion for tracing a desired link on the basis of the two-dimensional parameter data extracted by the two-dimensional parameter data extracting portion and temporarily storing and holding data of the traced link; and
a link data classifying portion for classifying the link data stored and held in the link tracing portion on the basis of the pattern determined by the pattern determining portion.
As stated above, according to the sixth aspect, the amount of parameter data as the source data for classification can be reduced depending on the condition for tracing links, and then the classifying operation can be performed at high speed.
According to a seventh aspect which depends on the second aspect,
the pattern data reading portion reads the pattern data corresponding to a pattern indicated by an operator from the pattern data storage portion.
According to an eighth aspect which depends on the second aspect,
the data converting portion obtains values of part of the parameters defined by the pattern data read by the pattern data reading portion directly from the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion and obtains remaining parameter values by inference processing.
As stated above, according to the eighth aspect, parameters wanting when generating the model transforming data can be automatically obtained by inference.
According to a ninth aspect which depends on the second aspect,
the data converting portion obtains values of part of the parameters defined by the pattern data read by the pattern data reading portion directly from the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion and obtains remaining parameter values through an instruction from an operator.
According to a tenth aspect which depends on the first aspect,
the model transforming data creating device further comprises:
an image data generating portion for generating three-dimensional image data by applying the model transforming data generated by the parameter data analyzing portion to the corresponding three-dimensional map display model and transforming the three-dimensional map display model; and
a display portion for displaying the three-dimensional configuration of the given part on the basis of the three-dimensional image data generated by the image data generating portion.
As stated above, according to the tenth aspect, since the three-dimensional configuration obtained on the basis of the generated model transforming data is displayed in a real-time manner, it is easy to see whether desired model transforming data has been obtained.
According to an eleventh aspect which depends on the tenth aspect,
the model transforming data creating device further comprises a model transforming data correcting portion for correcting the model transforming data generated by the parameter data analyzing portion in response to an instruction from an operator.
As stated above, according to the eleventh aspect, the model transforming data can be corrected and the corrected three-dimensional configuration can be displayed, and thus the correcting operation can be achieved easily.
According to a twelfth aspect which depends on the first aspect,
the parameter data extracting portion extracts the parameter data of a part indicated by an operator from the two-dimensional map data.
According to a thirteenth aspect which depends on the first aspect,
the parameter data extracting portion extracts the parameter data of a part which conforms with a previously set condition from the two-dimensional map data.
As stated above, according to the thirteenth aspect, the part to be three-dimensionally displayed on a map can be automatically specified to extract parameters.
According to a fourteenth aspect, a device for creating three-dimensional polygon data used to display a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on a map comprises:
a two-dimensional map data storage portion for storing two-dimensional map data;
a parameter data extracting portion for extracting parameter data corresponding to the given part from the two-dimensional map data stored in the two-dimensional map data storage portion;
a parameter data analyzing portion for analyzing the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion to generate model transforming data;
a three-dimensional polygon data generating portion for generating the three-dimensional polygon data by applying the model transforming data generated by the parameter data analyzing portion to a corresponding three-dimensional map display model to transform the three-dimensional map display model; and
a three-dimensional polygon data storage portion for storing the three-dimensional polygon data generated by the three-dimensional polygon data generating portion.
As stated above, according to the fourteenth aspect, the three-dimensional polygon data is obtained by transforming a previously prepared three-dimensional map display model, so that the computation for generating the three-dimensional polygon data can be simplified.
According to a fifteenth aspect, a device for creating three-dimensional image data used to display a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on a map comprises:
a two-dimensional map data storage portion for storing two-dimensional map data;
a parameter data extracting portion for extracting parameter data corresponding to the given part from the two-dimensional map data stored in the two-dimensional map data storage portion;
a parameter data analyzing portion for analyzing the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion to generate model transforming data;
a three-dimensional polygon data generating portion for generating three-dimensional polygon data by applying the model transforming data generated by the parameter data analyzing portion to a corresponding three-dimensional map display model to transform the three-dimensional map display model;
a three-dimensional image data generating portion for generating the three-dimensional image data on the basis of the three-dimensional polygon data generated by the three-dimensional polygon data generating portion; and
a three-dimensional image data storage portion for storing the three-dimensional image data generated by the three-dimensional image data generating portion.
As stated above, according to the fifteenth aspect, the three-dimensional image data is generated from the three-dimensional polygon data obtained by transforming a previously prepared three-dimensional map display model, so that the computation for generating the three-dimensional image data can be simplified.
A sixteenth aspect is directed to a three-dimensional map display device for displaying a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on a map,
wherein the three-dimensional configuration of the given part on the map is classified in advance into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model is prepared for each pattern, and the three-dimensional map display device comprises:
a two-dimensional map data storage portion for storing two-dimensional map data;
a parameter data extracting portion for extracting parameter data corresponding to the given part from the two-dimensional map data stored in the two-dimensional map data storage portion;
a parameter data analyzing portion for analyzing the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion to generate model transforming data used to transform the three-dimensional map display model;
an image data generating portion for generating three-dimensional image data by applying the model transforming data generated by the parameter data analyzing portion to the corresponding three-dimensional map display model to transform the three-dimensional map display model into a desired form; and
a display portion for displaying the three-dimensional configuration of the given part on the basis of the three-dimensional image data generated by the image data generating portion.
As stated above, according to the sixteenth aspect, the map configuration is classified into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model prepared for each pattern is transformed to obtain a three-dimensional image, which enables three-dimensional display more fitted to the object of the navigation (that is to say, to enable clear understanding of the correspondence between real-world roads and navigated routes) as compared with the conventional system in which a three-dimensional image is obtained directly from two-dimensional map data with added width and height information. That is to say, according to the sixteenth aspect, the basic configuration of roads is previously prepared in the form of a three-dimensional map display model, and therefore the relation among roads, such as how roads are connected to one another or branched, is not largely changed even when the three-dimensional map display model is largely transformed. Accordingly, errors in some degrees existing on the two-dimensional map data are automatically corrected at the time when the pattern of the specified road part is determined, which reduces a possibility of displaying errors far apart from the original object of the navigation. Also, according to the sixteenth aspect, it is not necessary to perform all the steps for calculating and generating the three-dimensional image data, but it can be generated by just performing the calculation of transforming a previously defined three-dimensional map display model on the basis of the model transforming data, and the amount of calculation can be largely reduced as compared with conventional case. This enables high-speed picture drawing processing. Further, according to the sixteenth aspect, since the model transforming data is generated within the three-dimensional map display device, the map storage medium can be used to store the two-dimensional map data only, and the device can work with almost the same amount of previously stored map data as a conventional map display device displaying a two-dimensional map.
According to a seventeenth aspect which depends on the sixteenth aspect,
the three-dimensional map display device further comprises a pattern model storage portion for storing pattern data defining sorts of parameters required when transforming the three-dimensional map display model for each pattern, and
the parameter data analyzing portion comprises:
a pattern data reading portion for reading out the pattern data corresponding to the given part from the pattern model storage portion; and
a data converting portion for converting the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion into the model transforming data on the basis of the pattern data read by the pattern data reading portion.
As stated above, according to the seventeenth aspect, the parameter data is converted into the model transforming data on the basis of the pattern data, and more detailed model transforming data can thus be created as compared with a case in which the model transforming data is created from only the parameter data.
According to an eighteenth aspect which depends on the seventeenth aspect,
the pattern data reading portion comprises a pattern determining portion for determining the pattern on the basis of the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion and reading out the pattern data corresponding to the determined pattern from the pattern model storage portion.
As stated above, according to the eighteenth aspect, the parameter data can be automatically read out from the parameter data storage portion without through manual operation.
According to a nineteenth aspect which depends on the eighteenth aspect,
the pattern determining portion comprises:
a branching part road attribute deciding portion for deciding attributes of roads around a branching point on the basis of the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion; and
a branch type deciding portion for deciding the type of the branching on the basis of the road attributes decided by the branching part road attribute deciding portion to determine the pattern.
As stated above, according to the nineteenth aspect, the pattern is determined in accordance with road attributes at a branching point especially requiring three-dimensional display, so that the pattern can be determined in a manner more fitted to the real-world road configuration.
According to a twentieth aspect which depends on the nineteenth aspect,
the parameter data analyzing portion further comprises:
a parameter data classifying portion for classifying the parameter data according to road function on the basis of the pattern determined by the pattern determining portion; and
a data integrating portion for integrating the parameter data classified by the parameter data classifying portion within each classified group; and
the data converting portion converts the parameter data integrated by the data integrating portion into the model transforming data.
As stated above, according to the twentieth aspect, not the mere parameter data extracted from the two-dimensional map data but the integrated parameter data is converted into the model transforming data, so that a three-dimensional map display model with a less number of connected portions can be adopted to provide a beautiful three-dimensional image, and the finally obtained three-dimensional image can be simplified on the basis of road function to provide navigation display easy to understand for the user.
According to a twenty-first aspect which depends on the twentieth aspect,
the parameter data classifying portion comprises:
a link tracing portion for tracing a desired link on the basis of the two-dimensional parameter data extracted by the two-dimensional parameter data extracting portion and temporarily storing and holding data of the traced link; and
a link data classifying portion for classifying the link data stored and held in the link tracing portion on the basis of the pattern determined by the pattern determining portion.
As stated above, according to the twenty-first aspect, the amount of the parameter data as the source data for classification can be reduced depending on the condition used when tracing links, and the computation for classification can be performed at high speed.
According to a twenty-second aspect which depends on the seventeenth aspect,
the data converting portion obtains values of part of the parameters defined by the pattern data read by the pattern data reading portion directly from the parameter data extracted by the parameter data extracting portion and obtains remaining parameter values by inference.
As stated above, according to the twenty-second aspect, parameters wanting in generating the model transforming data can be automatically obtained by inference.
According to a twenty-third aspect which depends on the twenty-second aspect,
the three-dimensional map display device is installed in a car navigation device for navigating a vehicle on the map.
A twenty-fourth aspect is directed to a three-dimensional map display device for displaying a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on a map,
wherein the three-dimensional configuration of the given part on the map is classified in advance into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model is prepared for each pattern, and the three-dimensional map display device comprises:
a model transforming data storage portion for storing model transforming data for transforming the three-dimensional map display model;
an image data generating portion for generating three-dimensional image data by reading out the model transforming data corresponding to the given part and applying the model transforming data to the corresponding three-dimensional map display model to transform the three-dimensional map display model into a desired form; and
a display portion for displaying the three-dimensional configuration of the given part on the basis of the three-dimensional image data generated by the image data generating portion.
As stated above, according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the map configuration is classified into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model prepared for each pattern is transformed to obtain a three-dimensional image, which enables three-dimensional display more fitted to the object of the navigation (that is to say, to understand a correspondence between real-world roads and navigated routes in a clear manner) as compared with the conventional system in which a three-dimensional image is obtained directly from two-dimensional map data with added width and height information. That is to say, according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the basic configuration of roads is previously prepared as a three-dimensional map display model, and therefore the relation among roads, such as how roads are connected to one another or branched, is not largely changed even when the three-dimensional map display model is largely transformed. Accordingly, errors in some degrees existing on the two-dimensional map data are automatically corrected at the time when the pattern of the specified road part is determined, which reduces a probability of displaying errors far apart from the original object of the navigation. Also, according to the twenty-fourth aspect, it is not necessary to perform all the steps for calculating and generating the three-dimensional image data, but it can be generated by just performing the calculation of transforming a previously defined three-dimensional map display model on the basis of the model transforming data, and the amount of calculation can be largely reduced as compared with a conventional case. This enables high-speed picture drawing processing. Further, according to the twenty-fourth aspect, the device stores the model transforming data extremely compressed as compared with the three-dimensional polygon data and three-dimensional image data, so that the amount of previously stored map data (data required to display a three-dimensional map) can be considerably reduced, as compared with a conventional map display device displaying a three-dimensional map.
According to a twenty-fifth aspect which depends on the twenty-fourth aspect,
the three-dimensional map display device is installed in a car navigation device for navigating a vehicle on the map.
A twenty-sixth aspect is directed to a method for displaying a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on two-dimensional map data, the method comprising the steps of:
classifying in advance the three-dimensional configuration of the given part into a plurality of patterns and preparing in advance a standard three-dimensional map display model for each pattern;
extracting parameter data corresponding to the given part from the two-dimensional map data;
generating model transforming data from the extracted parameter data; and
applying the model transforming data to the corresponding three-dimensional map display model to transform the three-dimensional map display model into a desired form, thereby obtaining a three-dimensional image of the given part.
As stated above, according to the twenty-sixth aspect, the map configuration is classified into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model prepared for each pattern is transformed to obtain a three-dimensional image, which enables three-dimensional display more fitted to the object of the navigation (that is to say, to understand a correspondence between real-world roads and navigated roads in a clear manner) as compared with the conventional system in which a three-dimensional image is obtained directly from two-dimensional map data with added width and height information. That is to say, according to the twenty-sixth aspect, the basic configuration of roads is previously prepared as a three-dimensional map display model and therefore the relation among roads, such as the configuration of connections and branches of roads, is not largely changed even when the three-dimensional map display model is largely transformed. Accordingly, errors in some degrees existing on the two-dimensional map data are automatically corrected at the time when the pattern of the specified road part is determined, which reduces a possibility of displaying errors far apart from the original object of the navigation. Also, according to the twenty-sixth aspect, it is not necessary to perform all the steps for calculating and generating the three-dimensional image data, but it can be generated by just performing the calculation of transforming a previously defined three-dimensional map display model on the basis of the model transforming data, and the amount of calculation can be largely reduced as compared with conventional devices. This enables high-speed picture drawing processing.
A twenty-seventh aspect is directed to a storage medium used in a three-dimensional map display device in which a three-dimensional configuration of a given part on two-dimensional map data is classified in advance into a plurality of patterns and a standard three-dimensional map display model is prepared in advance for each pattern, and the three-dimensional map display model is transformed into a desired form to generate and display three-dimensional image data of the given part,
wherein the storage medium contains model transforming data for transforming the three-dimensional map display model into the desired form in correspondence with each road part to be three-dimensionally displayed.
As stated above, according to the twenty-seventh aspect, data for three-dimensional map display can be stored in an extremely compressed form.